Power tagline



Aprll 3, 1962 H. K. HALVORSEN EI'AL 3,

POWER TAGLINE Filed May 11, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet l J 5 HENRY K. HALVORSEN HENRY K. HALVORSEN, JR

INVENTORS BY M I ATr'Y April 1962 H. K. HALVORSEN ETAL 3,028,031

POWER TAGLINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Mayll; 1959 bRsEN HENRY K. HALVORSEN, JR

HENRY K. HALV INVENTQRS BY I 4 rr';

3,$2$,@3l Patented Apr. 3, i962 ice This invention relates generally to mobile cranes of the type used for logging, excavating operations, or for handling, positioning and loading of various objects and materials.

More specifically the invention relates to a power-operated tagline connected to logging tongs, log grapple, clam shell or the like for positioning such loading instrumentalities when empty in relation to a load to be dealt with and subsequently positioning the instrumentality when loaded.

More particularly, the invention comprises a tagline operable by a drum driven off the main drum gear of the crane for fast instant power without use of auxiliary power source, and controlled by controls conveniently mounted within the crane cab for either hand or foot operation.

One of the principal objects of the invention is to provide a tagline of the character described which will re duce boom-up" or boom-down to a minimum by allowing the crane operator to spot the loading instrumentality for pickup or discharge, or to accurately cast the instrumentality when empty to any selected point Within its operative range without backlash in the tagline.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of a logging crane whose logging grapple is attached to and controlled by, so far as casting and retracting operations are concerned, a tagline and operating mechanism made in accordance with our invention.

FIGURE 2 is a view similar to FIGURE 1 on an enlarged scale with a fragment of the crane boom broken away and with a fragment of the side wall of the crane cab broken away to reveal internal parts.

FIGURE 3 is an elevational view on an enlarged scale of the tagline drum and operational and control mechanism associated therewith disposed on the interior of the crane cab.

FIGURE 4 is a view similar to FIGURE 3 of a modification of the control mechanism for the tagline drum.

FIGURE 5 is a sectional end view taken along the line 5-5 of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 6 is a similar view taken along the line 6-6 of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 7 is a view similar to FIGURE 6 showing a modification thereof, and FIGURE 8 is a diagrammatic view of a penumatic-electric control system.

With continuing reference to the drawings wherein like reference numerals designate like parts, and particularly to FIGURES 1 and 2 thereof, reference numeral 1 indicates generally a portable or mobile crane having a cab 2 pivotally supported by means of a turret 3 upon any conventional ground engaging tractor or traction mechanism indicated generally at 4. A boom 5 is swingably attached as at 6 to the forward end of the cab base 7 and movable upwardly or downwardly in a vertical plane by means of boom lines 8 all in the conventional manner.

In the example shown, a log grapple 10 is secured to the outer end of a hoist line 11. A trip line 12 is attached to the log grapple and both lines 11 and 12 are entrained over sheaves 13 and 14 rotatably mounted, respectively, at the forward tip of the boom 5 and at the center thereof as shown. The opposite ends of the lines 11 and 12 are entrained, respectively, over operating drurns indicated generally at 15 and 16 within the crane cab 2, also in the conventional manner. The rigging just described is generally the same in various types of mobile cranes known in the industry.

A tagline 2t) and its associated operational parts made in accordance with our invention are readily adaptable to such cranes and the forward end of the tagline is provided with a bridle 21 attached as at 22 to both sides of the log grapple to prevent the same from spinning. The tagline is entrained over a sheave 23 rotatably mounted as at 24 between the frame members of the boom 5 and over a second sheave 25 rotatably mounted as at 26 between diagonal legs 27 and 28 of a gantry indicated generally at 29 mounted upon the cab base 7. The opposite or rearward end of the tagline 20 is entrained over a drum 30 (see FIGURE 3) rotatable about a driven shaft 31 and integrated with a brake drum 32 at one of its ends and secured at its opposite end to the housing 33 of a disc clutch 34 comprising the usual (not shown) floating plate, driving plates and center plate all contained within the housing 33 and compressible into frictional engagement with each other and with the inner end wall of the housing 33 by a shifting yoke 35 and lever arm 35A pivotally depending as at 36 from a bracket 37 secured to the underside side of an angle iron 33 secured at its op posite ends to the vertical legs 39 and Gil of the gantry 29. The drum 30 and brake drum 32 are held in proper position on the shaft 311 in the opposite direction by a collar 41 secured to the shaft by a set screw 42.

The shaft 31 is journalled at both of its ends in bearing blocks 45 mounted upon supporting arms 46 in the form of angle irons secured to and extending forwardly from the vertical legs 39 and 40 of the gantry 29. One end of the shaft 31 is provided with a driven gear 50 at all times enmeshed with a driving gear 51 secured to one end of a clutch shaft 52 (see FIGURE 2) of a clutch mechanism indicated generally at 53 operatively connected as at 54 to the hoist drum 15 and driven by an engine 56 by sprocket chain 57. The trip line 12 as above stated is entrained over the drum 16 operable on the shaft 61 of the main hoist drum 15 in the conventional manner.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that rotation of the hoist drum 15 in one direction will hoist the log grapple 10 and rotation in an opposite direction will lower it. Similarly, rotation of the tagline drum 30 in one direction will pull the grapple toward the boom 5 into the dotted line position, as an example, in FIGURE 1 and that when the drum 30 is released to free wheel" the grapple can be cast forwardly by a gravitational swing into the broken line position.

To prevent excessive cable slack when the grapple is stopped at the end of the cast, we provide the brake drum 32 with brake shoes 65 and 66 (see also FIGURE 6) pivotally attached at their rearward ends as at 67 to a bracket 68 secured to a plate 69 secured to and depending from the cross member 38. The opposite ends of the brake shoes are yieldingly inter-connected by a bolt 7!) extending upwardly through the end of both shoes and provided at its top end with adjustable lock nuts 71 hearing against a Washer 72 on the top end of a compression spring 73 whose bottom end bears against the topof the end of the shoe 65. By this arrangement the brake shoes may be permanently set to normally apply the desired drag on the brake drum to arrest its rotation instantaneously with the arrival of the log grapple at the terminus of its cast to thereby prevent backlash in the cable.

For completely releasing the brake shoes 65 and 66 We provide the underside of the outer end of the shoe 56 with a fluid pressure cylinder 75 connected by fluid pressure line 76 to a pressure outlet 77 of a control valve indicated generally at 78 and supplied with pressure from a supply line 79 connected to a source of pressure, not shown. The inside of the cylinder 75 is provided with a piston not shown whose connecting rod 80 is connected as at 01 to the underside of the end of the brake shoe 65. The control valve 78 is provided with a control lever 82 which when in the broken line position shown will direct pressure to the brake cylinder 75 to release the brakes and when moved into the full line (neutral) position will allow the brake shoes to resume their drag position relative to the brake drum.

The outer end of the shifting yoke lever arm 35A is connected to the bottom end of a connecting rod of a piston (not shown) within a pressure cylinder 86 mounted upon a bracket 87 which is pivotally attached as at 88 to the cross member 38. The cylinder 86 is connected by a fluid pressure line 89 to a second outlet 90 of the control valve 78. When the control lever 82 is moved into the dotted line position shown, pressure will be directed to the clutch cylinder 86 causing the lever arm 35A to move downwardly, the yoke 35 to move to the right as viewed in FIGURE 3 to engage the clutch elements and thereby impart rotation to the tagline winding drum 30 for pulling the loaded log grapple rearwardly into any desired position as indicated by the dotted line position.

If desired a wrap-around brake band 92 as shown in FIGURE 7 could be utilized instead of the two shown in FIGURE 6 and actuated in the same manner.

In the modified form of control mechanism shown in FIGURE 4, we dispense with the brake drum 32, brake shoes 65 and 66 and instead rely upon controlled slipping of the clutch to set the desired drag on the tagline drum 30A. To accomplish this, the clutch cylinder 86A is supplied with fluid pressure from a shuttle valve 94, through a quick release 95 and fluid pressure line 96. One end of the shuttle valve is connected by pressure lines 97 and 98 to one side of a manually setable regulator valve 99 whose opposite side is connected as at 100 to the pressure outlet 90A of the control valve 78A supplied with fluid pressure from a supply line 79A connected with a source of pressure not shown. The opposite end of the shuttle valve is connected by pressure line 101 to a second pressure outlet 77A of the control valve 78A.

To impart rotation to the tagline drum 30A, the control lever 82A of the control valve is moved to the dotted line position shown to direct high. pressure through the line 101 to the shuttle valve 94 and clutch cylinder 86A causing the lever amt 35B to engage the clutch 34A with the drum 30A as above described in connection with FIGURE 3. Upon movement of the control lever 82A to the full line neutral position, pressure from Within the shuttle valve 94- Will escape through the quick release 95, and the resultant disengagement of the clutch 34A will permit free spooling of the tagline drum. When the control lever is moved into the broken line position, pressure from the line 100 into the lines 98-97 will be reduced by the manual setting of the regulator valve 99 to deliver a predetermined low degree of pressure to the clutch cylinder 86A and the selected degree determines the amount of drag on the tagline drum 30A by the slippage of the clutch elements.

In the further modification of a control mechanism as shown in FIGURE 8, fluid pressure from a source not shown is supplied through a line 105 to two solenoid valves 106 and 107, and from the solenoid valve 106 to one side of a shuttle valve 94A by a pressure line 108. Pressure from the solenoid valve 107 is directed through a line 10? to one side of a regulator valve 99A, whose opposite side is connected by line 110 to the opposite side of the shuttle valve 94A. The shuttle valve directs pressure through a quick release 55A and line A to the clutch cylinder 86B. One side of the solenoid valves 106 and 107 is grounded as shown, and their opposite side is connected, respectively, by conductors 112 and 113 with one side of switches in the form of push-buttons 114 and 115, whose opposite sides are connected as at 116 to one side of a battery B, whose opposite side is grounded as shown. Energization of the solenoid valve 106 by closing switch 1-14 will direct full pressure through line 108, through the shuttle valve, quick release and line 96A to the clutch cylinder 86B. Energization of the other solenoid valve 107 by closing the switch will direct pressure through line 109, regulator valve 99A, line 110, shuttle valve 94A, quick release 5A, line 96A into the clutch cylinder 86B. As in FIGURE 4, the regulator valve 99A is set to deliver a predetermined low degree of pressure to the clutch cylinder, and the selected degree determines the amount of drag on the drum 30A by the slippage of the clutch elements.

While we have shown particular forms of embodiment of our invention, we are aware that many minor changes therein will readily suggest themselves to others skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Having thus described our invention what we claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

In a crane, the combination with a pivotally mounted base, and load hoisting mechanism carried thereby, including a boom pivotally carried by the base, a boom hoist for raising and lowering said boom, a load engaging unit including a hoist line having a running connection with the boom remote from the pivotal connection of the boom with the base and entrained over hoist line operating mechanism carried by the base, a shaft having a permanent driving connection with said hoist line operating mechanism for rotation in one direction only, a tagline drum carried by said shaft adapted for driven rotation with the shaft in said one direction only and for idling rotation about said shaft in an opposite direction, a tag line secured at one of its ends to said load engaging unit and having a running connection with said boom remote from said hoist line, said tagline entrained at its opposite end over said drum, a first friction ciutch member integrated with said drum, a second friction clutch member slidably attached to said shaft for rotation therewith and selective engagement with said first clutch member, a manually operable control valve adapted for connection to a source of fluid pressure, one side of said valve connected through a manually setable regulator valve to one side of a shuttle valve, the other side of said control valve connected to the opposite side of said shuttle valve, a quick release in open communication with said shuttle valve and adapted to release pressure from the interior thereof in accordance with the setting of said regulator valve, a clutch cylinder operatively connected to said second clutch member and in open communication with said quick release whereby said second clutch member will be operated into engagement with said first clutch rnemher by pressure from said one side of said control valve to drive said tagline drum in said one direction and operated to disengage said first and second clutch members upon release of pressure through said quick release to permit of free rotation of said tagline drum in said opposite direction and whereby said second and first clutch members may be interengaged in various degrees of slipping relationship by the setting of said regulator valve.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,045,918 Viele Dec. 3, 1912. 1,509,295 Holcomb Sept. 23, 1924 1,938,780 Nenninger Dec. 12, 1933 2,778,514 McLean Jan. 22, 1957 

